2-Day Intermediate Packrafting Course

Course

In this intermediate packrafting course, you’ll spend two days learning a wide variety of packrafting and rescue skills on the Animas River. This is NOT a swiftwater rescue course, but some basic rescue techniques will be covered. Packrafting experience required. You will need a drysuit for this trip. You may rent one at 4CornersRiversports.com.

Included

This full-value course includes two nights in a glamping tent or the cabin at Scullbinder Ranch, all meals (breakfast and dinner at the Ranch, lunch in the field). This class is for people who already have packrafting experience, so most will have their own gear. However, if you have a lot of experience paddling a kayak or duckie and you don’t have a packraft, you may be able to join this course. You will need a whitewater boat and drysuit, both of which you can rent one from BackcountryPackraft.com. Ask us for the 15% off discount code after you pay your deposit to hold your spot.

You’ll meet the Friday night before the course starts at Scullbinder Ranch, have dinner with your instructor and talk about your weekend. Saturday night you’ll reflect on what you learned during the day, watch videos of yourselves packrafting in the whitewater play park, and then discuss and reflect on your learnings. Both days will be spend on the Animas River, with a lot of intensive time in the whitewater play park. Email us for details or to sign up!

Price: $895

A 25% deposit is required to secure your space. Another 25% deposit is required within 90 days of the course. And we will need the remaining balance 30 days prior to your course. If you are registering inside of the 30 day window, the remaining balance is due immediately.

Instructor: Steve Fassbinder is one of the country’s first Level 3 American Canoe Association Packraft Instructors, as well as a Level 3 Kayak Instructor. He is also certified in Advanced Swiftwater Safety and Wilderness First Responder. An early adopter of packrafting, he has guided for three years and done remote packrafting expeditions around the world for over a dozen years.

Expect to learn and/or practice many of the following skills:

✓How to pack light for backcountry packraft adventures
✓Equipment (use and care)
✓Field repair-tips & tricks
✓Swimming and general water confidence
✓Self-rescue & buddy assistance
✓Dealing with currents
✓Swiftwater entry
✓Aggressive & defensive swimming position
✓Decision making
✓Hazards & river dynamics
✓Basic & advanced paddle strokes
✓Using eddies
✓Other TBD

About The Animas River

Most of the intensive training for this course will take place on up to Class III+ on the Animas River. We spend a lot of time spent on the Animas City Kayak Play Park. And we’ll do various sections of the Animas to and from the play park.
Length of Play Park: 1.25 miles
Length of Daily Adventures: 5 to 8 miles
Gradient: 30ft/mile
Difficulty: Class II III at 500-2000 CFS, Class III to IV 2,000 CFS and up.
High Water Flows: May-July
Flow: below 500cfs is low; 1,000-2,000cfs ideal for this course. Water Flow please see water levels
Length of Play Park: 1.25 miles
Length of Daily Adventures: 5 to 8 miles
Gradient: 30ft/mile
Difficulty: Class II+ III at 500-2000 CFS, Class III to IV 2,000 CFS and up.
High Water Flows: May-July
Flow: below 500cfs is low; 1,000-2,000cfs ideal for this course. Water Flow please see water levels

Full 2023 Packraft Course Schedule:

✓April 15-16—2-Day Learn Basic Packrafting Skills – Course is Full
✓April 21-23—3-Day Learn Basic Packrafting Skills – No Frills
✓April 28-30—From Paddle Strokes to Multi-Day Adventures: 3-Day Learn to Packraft – No Frills
✓May 5-7—2-Day Intermediate Packrafting (includes night of the 5th at the Ranch)
✓May 13-14—2-Day Learn Basic Packrafting Skills – No Frills
✓May 25-29—5-Day Beginner/Intermediate Whitewater Packrafting Course
✓June 2-4—3-Day Learn Basic Whitewater Packrafting Skills
✓June 3-4—2-Day Learn Basic Packrafting Skills – No Frills
✓June 6-11—5-Day Packraft Expedition Training & Advanced Paddling Skills Course
✓June 14-18—5-Day Beginning/Intermediate Whitewater Packrafting
✓June 24-25—2-Day Intermediate Packrafting Course